Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Virunga’

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Virunga’ characterized by its Large sized blooms with Yellow-Orange ray-florets and Yellow-Green disc florets.

RELATED CULTIVARS

‘Virunga’ is related to Yellow ‘Virunga’ (copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/561,933). Yellow ‘Virunga’ is a color mutant from ‘Virunga’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Virunga’ is a product of a breeding-program which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with a daisy type flower, a 7 week response and a medium plant height. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant. ‘Virunga’ is a seedling from a cross in a breeding program maintained under the control of inventor. The female parent is #94.005—unpatented—, an unamed seedling not available to inventor for description. The male parent is unknown, being a mixed pollation of a group of male parents. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Rob Noodelijk in a controlled environment (greenhouse) in Rijsenhout Holland in May 1996. The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Virunga’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in August 1996 in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout Holland.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum bearing large sized blooms with yellow-orange ray-florets and yellow-green disc florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar;

FIG. 3 shows the various stages of foliage and petiole of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification dendranthema grandiflora. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown in a greenhouse in Rijsenhout Holland in a photo-periodic controlled crop under conditions generally used in commercial practice. The greenhouse temperatures during this crop were at day-time between 18° C. and 25° C. and at night 20° C. The photo-periodic response time in this crop was 53 days after an average of eight long days. After this long day period to flowering growth retardants were applied 6 times in an average dose of 1.5 gram/liter water. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. This new variety produces large sized blooms with yellow-orange ray-florets and yellow-green disc-florets blooming on the plant for 5 weeks. This new variety of chrysanthemum has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics throughout successive propagations however the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as light intensity and temperature. To show the phenotype as described ‘Virunga’ can be planted without assimilation lightning (high pressure sodium lamps) between week 50 and week 40 of the next year under greenhouse conditions in Holland. With assimilation lightning (minimum level 2500 lux) it can be planted year round under greenhouse conditions in Holland.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Virunga’ is Yellow ‘Virunga’. When Yellow ‘Virunga’ and ‘Virunga’ are being compared the following difference is noticed: The differences of Yellow ‘Virunga’ and ‘Virunga’ is the ray-floret color. ‘Virunga’ is yellow-orange, Yellow ‘Virunga’ is clear yellow.

From other commercial available varieties known to the inventor ‘Orange Blush’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,451) is most similar. The most obvious differences are (1) Flower form and color. The color of ‘Virunga’ is deeper orange, the ray-florets are less reflexing. (2) Vigor. ‘Virunga’ is more vigorous than ‘Orange Blush’.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Virunga’ as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society color chart, edition 1995.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of CULTIVAR ‘VIRUNGA’ Bud Size Large; cross-section 1.0 cm, height 1.0 cm Outside Color Yellow-orange 22 C Involucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm Involucral bracts Not present among disc-florets Involucral bracts Yellow-green 146 D color Bloom Type Daisy Height Flat Size Large Fully Expanded 6.5-7.0 cm. Number of blooms Approx. 4 blooms per branch per branch Performance on the 5 weeks plant Seeds Not produced Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum Color Center of the flow Immature yellow-green 144 (disc-florets) A Mature yellow-orange 15 C Color of upper Yellow-orange 22 A with a surface of the ray- pattern of Yellow 15 A, florets Yellow 15 A at the tips Color of the lower Yellow-orange 18 A surface of the ray- florets Tonality from A pot mum with pale orange Distance flowers and a green disc Discoloration to Yellow-orange 22 B color Ray florets Texture Upper and under side smooth. Number 27-30 Cross-section Concave Longitudinal axis of Reflexing majority Length of corolla Short tube Ray-floret length 3.0-3.2 cm. Ray-floret width 0.8-1.0 cm. Ratio length/width Medium Shape of tip Pointed Disc florets Disc diameter 1.2-1.5 cm. Distribution of disc Numerous clearly visible at florets all stages of flowering. Shape Tubular Color Yellow-green 144 A Receptacle shape Conical raised Reproductive Organs Stamen (present in Yellow-green, thick, 4 mm. disc florets only) Number of stamen Grown together as one Stamen color Yellow-green 144 C Pollen Present at mature stage Pollen color Yellow-orange 12 A Styles (present in Yellow-green, thin both ray and disc florets) Style color Yellow-green 144 C Style Length 5 mm. Stigmas Yellow-green Stigma Width 2 mm. Ovaries Enclosed in calyx Plant Form A pot mum meant for indoor use Growth habit Spreading Growth rate Rapid Height 24-26 cm. Width 26-28 cm. Stem Color Yellow-green 146 D Stem Strength Medium to strong Stem Brittleness Absent Stem Anthocyanin Absent Coloration Length of lateral From top to bottom 12-13 cm branch Lateral branch color Yellow-green 146 D Lateral branch, Weak attachment Branching (average Poor with 3 breaks after number of lateral pinching branches) Peduncle length 3.0-4.5 cm. Peduncle color Yellow-green 146 D Flowering 53 Days Response (photo- periodic controlled crop, not natural season Foliage Color Upper side green 137 A Under side green 147 B Size Medium; length 7.0 cm, width 5.0 cm Quantity (number per 6-8 lateral branch) Shape Ovate Texture upper side Glabrous Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin Serrated Shape of Base of Round Sinus Between Lateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Converging Between Lateral Lobes Shape of Base Rounded (sometimes asymmetric) Apex Mucronate

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison varieties ‘YELLOW ‘VIRUNGA’ VIRUNGA’ ‘ORANGE BLUSH’ Ray- Yellow- Yellow 3 A Yellow-orange 20 B floret orange 22 A color Growth rapid rapid Slow rate 

 